Slack-take-up mechanism.



A. J. KIRSTIN.

SLACK TAKE-UP MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 20. I915.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH (IO-,WASHINGTON. D. C.

FTQ v,

ALFRED J. KIRSTIN, 0F ESCANABA, MICHIGAN.

SLACK-TAKE-UP MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

Application filed March 20, 1915. Serial No. 15,896.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED J. KiRs'r N, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Escanaba, in the county of Delta and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack- Take-Up Mechanism; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention refers to slack take-up mechanism such as disclosed in my application for patent filed January 9, 1915, Serial No. 1325, which mechanism is especially applicable to stump pullers.

The object of my present invention is to provide a simple, economical and elfective means for quickly adjusting the stroke of the clutch carrying links, which are connected above and below the fulcrum of the actuating lever, whereby the application of power for heavy duty is increased at the expense of speed or vice versa.

The invention contemplates the embodiment of cam mechanism in connection with a link-attaching means, whereby said means is shifted with respect to the point of oscillation of the lever.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for locking the link-attaching means in shifted positions and still another object of my invention is to provide an actuating lever for adjusting the cam.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in certain peculiarities of con struction and combination of parts as set forth hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed. k

In the drawings Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a slack take-up mechanism embodying the features of my invention with parts broken away and in section to more clearly show thenovel features; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation of the same, the section being indicated by line 22,of Fig. 3, and Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional view of the lever mechanism, the section being indicated by line 33of Fig. -1.

' Referring by characters to the drawings, (t represents an anchor clevis, the legs of which carry a fulcrum pin 1 that extends through an actuating lever 2. The lever, for convenience in construction, is formed with side plates 3, 3, and a center-plate 3, Which plates are spaced apart and secured squared openings in the hubs 5 of camplates 5 the said hubs of the cam plates being also squared for the reception of a wrench-lever 6. The cam plates are held in position upon the ends of the pivot pins 1 by key pins 1 which pass through apertures in the pins provided for the purpose.

' Plates 3 and 3 of the lever-head are provided with alined companion slots 7 which extend in opposite directions upon either side of the pivot-pin 1 for the reception of link attaching means in the form of studs 8, 8, the ends of which studs project beyond the faces of. the side plates 3, 3.

I The ends of companion links 9 project into the slots 6, b, of the lever head and engage the stud 8, the opposite ends of which links are connected to a clutch block i 0, through lever arms 0. I A corresponding set of links 9 have ends connected to the studs 8' and their opposite ends are connected to arms of lever c", which, in turn, are pivotally mounted in clutch blocks 0", all of which mechanism forms no part of my present invention. The projecting ends of the studs which comprise the link-attaching means engage cam-slots 5 in the camplates 5, said slots being extended in spiral formation from a point comparatively close to the axis of oscillation of the lever outwardly. The ends of the studs 8, as shown, project slightly beyond the outer faces of the cam-plates, whereby they are adapted to engage any one of a series of apertures 6 in the wrench-lever to thus lock said studs in predetermined adjusted positions with relation to the pivot-pin 1.

From the foregoing description it is manifest that when the studs 8 and, 8 are held in positions close to the fulcrum pin 1, should a full stroke movement be impartedv to the actuating lever, a slight reciprocating movement will be transmitted tothe clutch blocks 0, 0', whereby slack in the draw cable A is progressively taken up in comparatively short lengths, it being under stood that said cable A extends through the clutch blocks and. is alternately engaged thereby through action of the links Hence,

in the position referred to above the power employed will exert increased force upon the cable A, whereby a heavy load can be freely handled under certain conditions, the studs 8 in which position are held against movement toward or away from the pivot pin by their locking engagement with the wrench lever apertures.

When it is desired to shift the attaching means of the links, comprising the studs, so

as'to increase the throw of the clutch blocks,

ed into a lineal movement of the studs,

whereby they will be moved to corresponding positions farther from the point of oscillation of said lever. The studs are then looked in their adjusted positions by reseat- 'ing the wrench-lever, causinga second set ofits alined apertures 6 to engage the ends of said studs and lock them against movement in either direction.

lVhile I have shown a specific'm eans in connection with the wrench-lever for locking the studs in adjusted positions, itis obvious that this locking means may be efiected by various mechanical elements within the knowledge of skilled mechanics, other than that shown.

From the foregoing it is apparent that this adjustment of the stroke of the clutch members can be instantly effected when the device is in operation, without delay or recourseto dismantling and rearrangement of theparts.

I claim:

1. The combination of a take-up mechanism comprising an actuating, lever, a fulcrum pin therefor, clutch-carrying links, mea'nsfor attaching the same to the lever above and below its fulcrum pin, and a shiftable cam mechanism carried by said lever engageable with the link attaching means'for' moving the same back and forth relative to the lever fulcrum. v

2. The combination of a. take-up mechanism comp'risingan actuating lever, a fulcrum pin therefor, clutch-carrying links,

-means for attaching the same to the lever above and below its fulcrum'pin, a shiftable cam mechanism carried by said lever engageable with the link attaching means for moving the same back and forth relative to the, lever fulcrum, and means for locking. the link attaching means in adjusted positions.

3. The'coinbination of a take-up mechanism comprisingan actuating lever, a fulcillatory fulcrum pin therefor, independent clutch carrying sets of links, means for attaching the links above and below the fulcrum pin, and cams secured to said fulcrum pin engageable with the link attaching means.

5. The combination of a take-up mechanism comprising an actuating lever, an oscillatory fulcrum pin therefor, independ ent clutch carrying sets of links, means for attaching the links above and below the fulcrum pin, cams'secured to said fulcrum pin engageable with the link attaching means, and means engageable with the aforesaid fulcrum pin for actuating the cams, whereby the link attaching'means is shifted in or out with relation to the pin. 6. The combination of a take up mechanism comprising an actuating'lever, an oscillatory fulcrum pin therefor, independent clutch carrying sets of links, means for attaching the links above and below the fulcrum pin, cams secured to said fulcrum pin engageable with the link attaching means, means engageable with the aforesaid fulcrum pin for actuating the cams, whereby the link attaching means is shifted in or out with relation to the pin, and locking means associated with the cam actuating means for locking the link-attaching means.

7 The combination of a take-up mechanism comprising a headed lever provided with companion sets of slots, a fulcrumgpin extending through the lever between the sets of slots, a stud mounted in each set of slots, clutch carrying links secured to the studs, plates having cam slots therein secured to the fulcrum pin, the cam slots being engageable' Withthe studs, and means for rotating the pivot pinwhereby the cam slots are caused tomove the studs in or out with relation thereto.

8.- The combination of a take-up mechanism comprising a headed lever provided with companion sets of slots, a fulcrum pin extending through the lever between the sets of slots, a stud mounted in each set of slots, clutch carrying, links secured to the studs, plates having cam slots therein secured to the fulcrum pin, the cam slots being engageablewith the studs, means for rotating the pivot pin whereby the cam slots are caused to move the studs in or out with relation thereto, and means for locking the cams and studs together.

9. The combination of a take-up mechanism comprising a headed lever provided with companion sets of slots, a fulcrum pin extending through the lever between the sets of slots, a stud mounted in each set of slots, clutch carrying links secured to the studs, plates having cam slots therein secured to the fulcrum pin, the cam slots being engageable with the studs, means for rotating the pivot pin whereby the cam slots are caused to move the studs in or out with relation thereto, and a wrench-lever for engagement with the pivot pin having apertures adapted to engage the pivot studs when said Wrench-lever is moved in a set position.

10. The combination of a take-up mechanism comprising a headed lever provided with companion sets of slots, a fulcrum pin extending through the lever between the sets of slots, a stud mounted in each set of slots, clutch carrying links secured to the studs, plates having cam slots therein secured to with companion sets of slots, a fulcrum pin extending through the lever between the sets of slots, a stud mounted in each set of slots, clutch-carrying links secured to the studs, a rotary means carried by the fulcrum pin for engagement with the studs, whereby they are lineally adjusted within the head slots to vary the stroke of the clutch members.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Escanaba in the county of Delta and State of Michigan in the presence of two witnesses.

ELIZABETH BLAK Loursn KIRSTIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

